Prefabricated partition



Oct. 16, 1962 H. w. BARss, JR

PREFABRICATED PARTITION Filed Nov. 18, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l MH. Q

N\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\%\\\\\WNr WMM w 1&1 --11 1 11m. -1@111 1 @w11 mx 1 Q.Tm

m I L n L I 1 A H M 1-1 7 I T L 1% .Q f n a i 1 I/ U; L I mf/1 I A111..; 1| 1\ 1112.711. 1 1 1 1 l 11 I1..1 ||1. .mmm Q Oct 16, 1962 H. w.BARss, JR 3,058,552

PREFBRI CATED PARTITI ON Filed Nov. 18, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HawazfdWavs's, Jai. by "DTKw/LW.

dorraey United States ljatent 3,058,552 PREFABRICATED PARTITION HowardW. Barss, Jr., Framingham, Mass., assignor to Power Engineering Co.,Framingham, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Nov. 18, 1960,Ser. No. 70,285 2 Claims. (Cl. 1S9-34) This invention relates topartitions for use in the interiors of buildings, and particularly topartitions of the Prefabricated type.

The type of partition for which this invention is particularly adaptedconsists of a framework made up of channel types of adjustable framingbolted together, and panels secured in the framing. The channels whichmake up the framing, and the panels, may be furnished cut to the desiredsizes and assembled on the job.

The lgeneral object of this invention is to provide a partitionframework which is adaptable for use with panels of lvarious thicknessesas well as sizes, which requires no welding, which may be dismantled andused in a different location and which, in the completed assembly,provides a flush dust-free surface on both sides of the partition.

The framework is made up of channels ywith inturned lips bolted back toback with short channel-shaped spacers disposed between at intervals.The panels are secured to the framework by retainer strips having springflanges which engage the lips of the channels, and side flanges, whichoverlie the panels.

ln the drawings illustrating the invention:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation, partly broken away, of a partitionconstructed according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section taken along line 2 2 ofFIG. f1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary crosssection taken along line 3-3 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the intermediatespacers;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective View of a junction spacer; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a corner spacer.

A typical complete partition, as shown in FIG. 1, consists of top andbottom rail assemblies 10 and 11, end rail assemblies 12 and 13, anumber of intermediate column assemblies 14, and panels l15.

A typical column assembly, as shown in FIG. 2, is made up of twochannels 16 and 17 placed back to back, a number of spacers 1S securedbetween the channels by bolts 19 and nuts 20, and a pair of retainerstrips 21 and 22. The channels have inturned lips 16a and 17a,respectively. 'I'he retainer strips have spring anges 21a, 22a whichengage inside lips 16a, 17a, respectively. These anges terminate in ribs2lb, 22b which enga-ge the inner edges of the lips. The flanges havesufficient resiliency so that strips 21, 22 can be snapped on and offthe channels. The strips also have side ilan-ges 21C, 21d which extendsidward beyond the channels and hold the panels in place.

The intermediate spacers 18 consist of short sections of open-facedchannel, and have elongated holes 23. The channels 16 and 17 areprovided with holes at spaced intervals so that the spacers may bebolted in at various locations. The elongated holes in the spacerspermit some adjustment of their position in the longitudinal directionof the channels.

The bottom rail assembly, as shown in FIG. 3, is formed of a pair ofchannels 24 and 25 placed back to back, and a pair of retainer strips 26and 27. The channels 24 and 25 are similar in all respects to channels16 and 17 and have inturned lips 24a and 25a. The strips 26 and 27 havespring flanges 26a and 27a and ribs 26b, 27b,

3,058,552 Patented Oct. 16, 1962 similar to flanges 21a and 22a, andribs 2lb, 22b, which engage lips 24a and 25a, respectively. Strips 26and 27, however, have extending upper anges 26C, 27C, similar to flanges2=1c, 22C, but are cut olf flush with channels 24 and 25 at the bottom.Channels 24 and 25 are bolted to the door 28 at intervals by bolts 29.

The top rail assembly is similar to the bottom rail assembly except thatthe retainer strips are flush with the channels at the top and havedownwardly extending anges which overlap the panel 15.

The top and bottom rail assemblies may have spacers 18 disposed betweenthe channels. However, if the distance between column assemblies is nottoo great, the junction spacers 30 and corner spacers 31, shown in FIGS.5 and 6, are sufiicient to lhold the top and bottom pairs of channels inthe right position.

A junction spacer 30 consists of two pieces of openfaced channels 32 and33 welded together in T-formation, piece 32 serving as the stem, andpiece 33 as the cross-bar. A number of horizontally elongated holes 34are formed in cross-bar 33, and a pair of vertically elongated holes 3'5in stem 32. The stem is bolted between a pair of column channels, andcross-piece 33 is bolted between the bottom rail channels when thejunction spacer is used at the bottom. When a spacer 30 is used at thetop it is turned upside down and cross-bar 33 is bolted between the toprail channels. In all cases, the elongated holes provide for adjustmentof the spacer to the exact position desired.

A corner spacer 31 consists of two pieces of open-faced channels 36 and37 lwelded together to for-m the legs of an angle. Leg 36 has a pair ofvertically elongated holes 38 and leg 37 has a pair of horizontallyelongated holes 38.

To assemble the partition, the -bottom rail channels lare bolted to thefloor of the building by bolts 29, in the desired location, with therequisite number of corner spacers 31 and junction spacers 30 boltedbetween the channels at the appropriate points. The end rail channelsare then secured with the requisite number of spacers 18 in place, tosupports in the building. For example, in the case of a wall to wallpartition the end rails are bolted to opposite walls. In other types oflayouts the end rails may be bolted to a post, door jamb, or othersuitable support. The intermediate column assemblies are then assembledand secured to the bottom junction spacers. If the partition extendstothe ceiling, the top rail channels are bolted to the ceiling andfastened to the column assemblies and end rails by junction spacers andcorner spacers, respectively. In the case of a low partition, a capstrip may be bolted to the top of the top rail.

When the members of the framework have all been assembled together, thepanels 15 are placed in the openings of the framework and secured bymeans of the retainer strips which are pressed on to the frameworkchannels.

The entire partition may be readily dismantled by removing the retainerstrips and panels and unbolting the framework members. The partition canthen be moved and reassembled at another location. If, for any reason,panels of thicker or thinner material than those originally installedare desired, only the spacers need be changed. The rest of the frameworkis re-usable. The adjustable thickness feature also permitsstandardization in manufacture of the frame channels.

What is claimed is:

1. A structural partition comprising: a supporting frame, includinghorizontal rails, a pair of upright end rails and an intermediate columnassembly defining t0- gether a pair of generally rectangular openings,said column assembly and horizontal rails each comprising a pair ofchannels disposed back to back; a pair of T-shaped spacers each having astem removably secured between the channels of said intermediate column,and a crosspiece removably secured between the channels of one of saidhorizontal rails; a pair of panels, one mounted in each of said openingsand each having a side margin abutting the channels of said intermediatecolumn; and a pair of securing strips removably secured to the channelsof said intermediate column and each having side anges overlapping oneof said margins.

2i A structural partition comprising: a supporting frame includinghorizontal rails and a pair of -upright column assemblies, defining agenerally rectangular opening, each of said column assemblies comprisinga pair of channels disposed back to back and having open sides facingoutward and spacers removably secured between said channels; a paneldisposed in said opening and having side 15 margins abutting sai-dchannels; and securing strips covering the open sides of said channels,each strip having spring ilanges engaged in the respective channel and aside liange overlapping one of said side margins, said horizontal railscomprising channels disposed back to back and having open sides facingoutward, and having four angle-shaped spacers each having one legsecured between the channels of one of said horizontal rails and anotherleg secured between the channels of one of said column 10 assemblies.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 511.974Great Britain Aug` 14, 1939

